Agenda item

Joint report of the Cabinet Member Finance and the Director Resources.

The Cabinet Member Finance introduced the report and explained that there were no significant differences between the final budget proposals 2013/14 and those that had been presented in draft at Cabinet on 21 December 2012 for consultation. However, the draft budget had been published prior to the announcement of the government 2013/14 financial settlement and the figures had been slightly better than predicted which meant that the budget gap would be closed entirely.

With regard to changes to the draft budget, the Cabinet Member Finance reported that Overview and Scrutiny had requested a £2000 expenditure for the training of members of planning committee. In terms of capital items £170,000 was proposed for the refurbishment of the new café as part of the redevelopment scheme of the Art Gallery & Museum and £30,000 would be allocated to the replacement of pool hall lighting to LEDs at leisure@ subject to a business case. The Cabinet Member Finance informed the meeting that a supplementary capital programme would be coming to Cabinet and Council for decision later in the year. This would encompass the capital receipt from the sale of Midwinter and North Place and Portland Street car parks. Such capital monies could be used to facilitate further investment in infrastructure in the town.

RESOLVED THAT it be recommended to Council that:

1. The revised budget for 2012/13 with a projected underspend of £260.5k be noted and that the proposals for its use be approved as detailed in Appendix 3.

Having considered the budget assessment by the Section 151 Officer at Appendix 9 :

2. the final budget proposals including a proposed council tax for the services provided by Cheltenham Borough Council of £187.12 for the year 2013/14 (a 0% increase based on a B and D property) be approved.

3. the growth proposals, including one off initiatives at Appendix 3, be approved.

4. the savings / additional income and the budget strategy at Appendix 4 be approved.

5. the proposed capital programme at Appendix 6, as outlined in Section 8 be approved.

6. the proposed Property Maintenance programme at Appendix 7, as outlined in section 9 be approved

7. the potential liability in respect of Municipal Mutual Insurance, as outlined in Section 10, be noted and that £80k has been built into the revised budget as a provision to cover the potential exposure to this liability be noted.

8. a level of supplementary estimate of £100,000 for 2013/14 as outlined in section 13 be approved.